Funny 13th Birthday Jokes

The famous Chicago-based photographer, Art Shay, at a spry 88, collects his thoughts on collecting, collectors and how his world-class collection came to be collected

A few months ago I was purchasing a couple of books via long-distance phone call from a very nice lady named Florence who owns a bookshop in Highland Park, Ill., called Titles, Inc., which sells rare books. Never having been to the Prairie State and unfamiliar with its geography, I assume every city in Illinois is near Chicago, so I asked Florence if she had anything by one of my favorite writers, Nelson Algren, author of “A Walk on the Wild Side” (published in 1956 and set in New Orleans, but many of Algren’s stories – like “The Man with the Golden Arm” and my favorite, “Never Come Morning” – take place in the Windy City.)

Florence paused, then said, “Are you asking about Algren because my husband and I were friends of his?”

“I had no idea,” I replied, completely taken by surprise. “I don’t even know your last name.”